Generally described, turbo-machinery such as steam turbines and the like may include a number of rotors for the transmission of rotational power. For example, a first rotor may be driven by the turbine while a second rotor may be in communication with a driven device such as an electrical generator and the like. The rotors generally meet about a rotor coupling.
The rotor coupling generally is enclosed within a rotor coupling guard. The rotor coupling guard provides safety, windage resistance, and other types of operational benefits. A lack of mass transfer or heat transfer of the air trapped inside the rotor coupling guard, however, may increase the air temperature inside the rotor coupling guard. Specifically, the continuous friction between the rotating surfaces of the rotor coupling and the trapped air may cause an increase in the temperature within the rotor coupling guard. Moreover, the noise level also may be high due to the friction between the rotor coupling and the trapped air.
To cool down the temperature of the rotor coupling and the other components within the rotor coupling guard, oil cooling and/or induced fan cooling has been provided. Such cooling methods, however, generally require extra hardware and controls to provide for a continuous flow of a cooling medium such as oil and/or air. Further, the flow of oil therein has been known to escape as well as cook and smoke if the flow gets too hot.
There is a desire therefore for an improved rotor coupling guard for use with a rotor coupling and the like. Preferably, such an improved rotor coupling guard may continue to provide safety while also assisting in cooling the rotor coupling and the other components therein without the use of complex cooling hardware, mediums, and/or controls.